


Archive File: Mission [Redacted]

by Scarlet_Streak



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Blackwatch Era, Friendship, Major Character Injury, Minor Swearing, Originally Written for a Competition, Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Romantic relationships will be implied, The Mission goes terribly wrong, There might be a brief reference to some nonexistent person of romantic interest, When I'm not being stupid, mission, nothing awful though, world building
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-01
Updated: 2018-12-03
Packaged: 2019-09-05 13:28:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,619
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16811560
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Scarlet_Streak/pseuds/Scarlet_Streak
Summary: "Alright, the tape is rolling. Welcome, Commander Reyes, to your debriefing. We have some questions about Blackwatch’s mission in [Redacted]. The questions will commence when you’re ready.""Why we need to do this, again? My team and I have run countless other missions without all this fuss. I don’t understand what makes [Redacted] any different.""The UN Council in charge of Overwatch and its affiliates are (pause) concerned about the psychological ramifications of the mission. Being trapped in enemy territory for any period of time can have serious consequences, especially under those circumstances."





	1. Prologue: Debriefing Transcript

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally written for a Blackwatch fanfiction competition that sort of died off. I'm going to post what I have so far. Hopefully, I'll get some inspiration for it. Also, old chapters will probably be subject to edits at any point. I'm never fully satisfied with the quality of my work.

Captain Amari: Alright, the tape is rolling. Welcome, Commander Reyes, to your debriefing. We have some questions about Blackwatch’s mission in [Redacted]. The questions will commence when you’re ready.

Commander Reyes: Why we need to do this, again? My team and I have run countless other missions without all this fuss. I don’t understand what makes [Redacted] any different.

Captain Amari: The UN Council in charge of Overwatch and its affiliates are (pause) concerned about the psychological ramifications of the mission. Being trapped in enemy territory for any period of time can have serious consequences, especially under those circumstances.

Commander Reyes: We’re fine. Blackwatch is trained to handle conditions like those.

Captain Amari: But they’ve still requested a full debrief and examination, which you will report to after this.

Commander Reyes: It’s a waste of ti--

Captain Amari: I highly doubt that, Gabriel. How long was your team trapped in [Redacted]?

Commander Reyes: Almost 3 days. It was supposed to be a 24-hour operation, get in and get out. We weren’t prepared for it to be that long.

Captain Amari: And which day did you run out of supplies?

Commander Reyes: Agent McCree and I ran out of ammo by the second day. Turns out Talon doesn’t like visitors much. We managed to barricade ourselves into one of the barracks. [Redacted] and Agent Shimada hid in a storage room. All but basic comms were jammed. Food and medical supplies lasted the whole mission, but it was close. More than a couple hungry nights.

Captain Amari: And the two of you only received minor injuries?

Commander Reyes: Correct.

Captain Amari: What about [Redacted]?

Commander Reyes: She wasn’t with us, but I think she came out mostly unharmed.

Captain Amari: And the cyborg?

Commander Reyes: _Agent Shimada_ got the worst of it. Moi--

Captain Amari: Gabriel, must I always remind you to refer to your teammates by their official titles?

Commander Reyes: Fine. [Redacted] managed to stabilize him, but he was clearly out of commission. I think Ang-- Dr. Ziegler is working on treatment and repairs right now. 

Captain Amari: So you were split into two groups?

Commander Reyes: Yeah.

Captain Amari: Could you now begin your summary of the events that occurred during your mission in [Redacted]?

Commander Reyes: Sure, but you might want to get comfortable. It’s a long story.


	2. Day 1: Morning, 0400 Hours

Gabriel doesn’t like this plan. Something about the scant intel or the lack of backup doesn’t sit well with him, but then again that’s what Blackwatch is for: illegal missions, suicide missions, and everything else in between. It was their job to keep Overwatch’s hands clean. Besides, Gabe trusts his people, or at least he thinks he does. The commander looks over his team for the operation. Jesse McCree, an ex-member of the Deadlock gang, still wearing his ridiculous cowboy hat while he smokes one more cigar before he has to load up his gear. Gabriel knows him well enough. After all, he was the one who recruited the young man in the first place. Next is Genji, the cyborg, who is sitting through his last-minute diagnostics from Dr. Angela to make sure he’s ready for fieldwork. Gabe doesn’t know him very well outside of Genji’s mission work; the man likes to keep to himself. But he’s heard the rumors, and read the reports. Finally, Blackwatch’s newest member: Dr. Moira O’Deorain. She’s already aboard the transport, having apparently checked and secured her own gear the night before. Gabriel can appreciate that efficiency. “Commander Reyes?” Gabriel turns to meet his approaching visitor with a grin. “Came to see us off, Jack?”

The strike commander returns the smile, though his is much more tired, a side effect of his recent promotion and nearly tripled workload. “Yeah. It’s the doctor’s first Blackwatch mission since she and Overwatch… parted ways. I was surprised to hear that your organization had picked her up.”

“Blackwatch doesn’t mind a little controversy.” A shadow falls over Jack’s face. “It wasn’t anything close to little, Gabe. We’re talking human experimentation. If Overwatch knew--” 

“Overwatch doesn’t have to know, remember? Plausible deniability. This is between you, me, and Amari.” 

“I still don’t like it. Keep a close eye on her.”

“Sure, Jack.” This response seems to assuage his friend’s fear for the time being. “Now get back to sleep. You’re going to have to deal with the UN council in a few hours, and I need them in a good mood if this goes south.”

Even Jack’s laugh is exhausted. “You don’t have to tell me twice.” The strike commander raises his voice to address the rest of the group. “Good luck, and stay safe out there. Overwatch is counting on you.” Jesse puts out his cigar and tips his hat to Jack. “Ain’t the first time, and I reckon it won’t be the last. Get to bed, Morrison.”

Jack glares good-naturedly at the young man. “That’s sir, to you, McCree. Alright, get out of here.” He leaves the hangar, mumbling something about coffee and “getting an early start on that paperwork.” Gabriel shakes his head. “He isn’t going to sleep is he?”

McCree shrugs. “Ain’t our problem. Let’s get going before someone else comes to see us off.”

Gabe and Jesse take the seats on the left, leaving Moira and Genji to sit on the opposite side. All settle in, knowing that the ride is going to be long and slow since the pilot has to fly certain paths to avoid detection at all stages of the flight. The ride is silent, and the air is heavy with apprehension. They know that every Blackwatch mission comes with a heavy price; If you lose contact with HQ, Overwatch isn’t coming to get you. They won’t risk the loss of resources and the discovery of Blackwatch for a handful of agents. It’s Gabriel’s least favorite part of his job, those days when a team goes MIA. He’s had to explain to many a distraught spouse, heartbroken child, or grieving relative why he cannot get them a body, or even prove that their family member is dead. Jesse is finally the one to break the silence. “So, where we heading, boss?” Moira raises an eyebrow, her distaste clearly visible on her face. “You didn’t read your mission file?”

“Hardly anything to read! Besides, Reyes here can tell it better.” Gabriel cuffs him gently in the back of the head. “Shut up, McCree.” He then addresses the rest of the crew. “We’re flying into a Talon base in Belgium, between Antwerp and Bruges. They’ve been taking advantage of the coastal position to help move agents, key members, and information in secret. Our mission is to get in, wipe the computers, destroy the base, and get back with as few Blackwatch casualties as possible.” 

Jesse snorts. “Quite the mission. HQ didn’t even send a demolitions expert.” Gabe shakes his head. “Apparently the base has its own power generator system, along with some experimental lab facilities”

Moira looks interested at the mention of the lab, and Gabriel continues. “We don’t know much about either, but we’re hoping that one of the two can be rigged to blow.” To the commander’s surprise, Genji speaks, his accent thick and distorted by his mask. “Do we have any more information about their defenses?”

“Your guess is as good as mine, Shimada.” Dr. O’Deorain glances over at her cyborg companion. “Shimada? As in the Shimada fa--” 

Gabriel silences her with a sharp glare. “That’s classified, doc. Let’s prep for landing.” Each team member looks to their own kit. McCree’s revolver, which he has affectionately dubbed “Peacekeeper”, is lovingly removed from its holster and cleaned, and spare ammo is packed into his bag. Genji sharpens his katana and wakizashi, checking to make sure his shuriken dispenser is fully loaded. Moira does nothing, her long painted fingernails drumming against the hard bench. Gabriel tends to his own weapons, a pair of deadly shotguns. Armor is fastened and double checked, rations are divided up, and medpacks are distributed. Comms checks, both the team’s basic comms, which are in case the base has signal jammers, and the ones that will allow them to communicate back with base. Moira, of course, doesn’t have one of those. As the time for landing draws closer, Gabriel can see Jesse growing more agitated. After 20 minutes of nervous toe-tapping and the jingling of belts as the younger man shifts in his seat, Gabe says, “Athena, turn on the advanced air treatment and filtration systems.” He sees McCree’s shoulders relax as he reaches for his bag, pulling out that all too familiar lighter and a fresh cigar, which he immediately begins to prep and light. “Much obliged, boss.” 

Moira wrinkles her nose. “Disgusting habit.” McCree leans forward across the center of the transport, taking a long draw of smoke, which he deliberately blows towards Moira’s face before gently tapping his cigar on the bench, allowing ashes to float to the floor. “Don’t remember asking for your opinion, doc.”

Moira’s face clouds over with rage, but, before she can respond, Gabriel interjects, “Play nice, you two. And Jesse, what have we said about the ashes?” Jesse grins. “Sorry, boss. Forgot.”

He reaches into his bag and pulls out a small box: his traveling ashtray. Gabriel bought it for him after having to sit through McCree’s third scolding from Captain Amari about leaving ashes around the base and in the transports. Gabriel shakes his head. “You’re going to have to put it out soon anyways. We’re 5 minutes out.”


	3. Day 1: Evening, 1800 Hours

“Comms check. Everyone on open mics?” The first response is from Moira, whose accent makes her difficult to understand over the low-quality system. “Affirmative, Commander. I’m at my entry point, ready to move on your signal.”

“Agent Shimada, reporting. I am also in position.”

“McCree here. ‘M ready to move too, but I reckon you already knew that.” Gabriel glares at Jesse, who grins back unapologetically. Both men stand on either side of their entrance, one of the doors into the base, two dead talon agents at their feet. Gabriel swipes one of their ID cards, and he and Jesse enter the base, weapons ready. “Everyone understands their part of the plan?”

Again, it’s Moira who responds. “Genji and I will move towards the detonation targets. He’s taking the power station, and I have the lab. You and that ridiculous Lone Ranger wannabe--”

“Who are you calling ridiculous, Dr. Frankenstein?” The doctor elects to ignore McCree’s indignant interjection. “As I was saying, you two will recover the data. On the signal, Genji and I will sabotage our targets as a distraction, and we will meet up at the rendezvous point to get transportation out of this place.”

“Glad that someone’s paying attention. Let’s move.” Jesse feigns offense. “You wound me, boss.”

“Says the guy who didn’t read the mission file.”

“Fair enough.” Jesse checks around the corner that they come to for approaching soldiers. Gabriel would do it himself, but his shotguns are louder and messier than Jesse’s revolver. Jesse makes a motion to follow him. “All clear, boss.” They continue, working their way towards the middle of the base, where the computer center was marked to be on their map. After Jesse dispatches the second group of Talon soldiers, he seems to have a realization.“Hey, boss, you know how to hack their system, right?” Gabriel pulls something that looks like a fancy USB from his pocket. “I don’t have to. This is a little gift from Winston. Once we plug it in, it’ll do all the work for us.”

Jesse lets out an appreciative, albeit quiet, whistle. “Remind me to thank the monkey when we get back.”

“He’d appreciate the visitors. The lab must get lone-- Up ahead!” Jesse reacts immediately with three quick shots. The soldiers slump to the ground, bullets through the back of their heads. “Heh, not bad, McCree.” Jesse tips his hat in response, and the two start to move again. Gabriel is pleasantly surprised that the alarm hasn’t been raised yet. Finally, he and Jesse reach the computer center, but, when they enter the room, they find it empty. This unsettles both of them. Jesse tries to rationalize. “Maybe they’re on a coffee break?”

“Talon doesn’t take coffee breaks. Keep an eye on the door.” For once, Jesse does as he’s told without question. Gabriel looks for a place to plug in Winston's device. When he finds one and plugs it in, the monitor attached to that computer lights up, and a loading bar appears. As the bar begins to fill, Gabe’s shoulders relax. Suddenly, a woman’s voice echoes through the room. “Gotcha.” 

As Gabriel backs away, the screen goes black, then is filled with the image of a purple skull, similar to a Dia de Los Muertos one. As alarms start to sound, Gabriel shouts, “We’ve been compromised! Move, move!” He and Jesse sprint into the hall back the way they came, no longer worrying about stealth. Footsteps and voices echo from the hallways behind and around them. Jesse shouts, “Guess they know we’re here now, don’t they?”

Gabe chooses to ignore him as he tries to get a message through to Overwatch. “HQ, the mission’s a bust. We need evac ASAP! Come in, HQ!” The only response he gets is static. “Damn it! They must be jamming our signals.” A sudden fear grips him, and he immediately switches to his team’s personal channel. “O’Deorain, Shimada! Status report.” There’s a long stretch of silence, and then. “Agent O’Deorain reporting. I’ve cleared the lab, but there are soldiers on their way over. I’ll see what I can do to hold the position.”

“Negative, Agent. Move out to the rendezvous point now.”

“With all due respect, commander, this mission is salvageable. I can still rig the lab.” Jesse interrupts their exchange. “Genji, you there?”

Gabriel and Moira fall silent as the three of them wait for a response. After a few seconds, Genji’s voice, labored and hurried, comes over the comm systems. “Agent Shimada reporting. I’ve had to abandon the power generators. Too many Talon units.” Gabe lets out a breath that he didn’t know he was holding; his team is still alive. He can work with this. Suddenly, the muted sounds of shouting and guns firing come from the comms, followed by a shout from Genji.“Ryujin no ken wo kurae!” Gabriel and Jesse share a look. They’ve only heard those words a few times before, when they were overwhelmed on a mission. It means Genji is channeling one of the Shimada family dragons, a concept which Gabe is still very unclear on. It makes Genji stronger and faster, but it also wears him out. If the strength leaves him before he can get to a safer location, their teammate won’t stand a chance. “Shimada, meet us at the door Jesse and I came through. You should be able to find it by working your way towards this side of the base.”

“Understood, commander.”

“O’Deorain,” he takes a second to evaluate his decision, then continues, “Rig the lab.”

“Right away, sir.”

“McCree, you’re with me. Let’s move.” Gabriel lifts his shotguns. After all, no need to be quiet now. Their retreat takes much less time, but is almost four times as bloody. When they finally reach the door, Gabriel swipes the key card. The light flashes red. He mumbles, “What the…” Jesse tries to offer some advice. “Maybe it’s the other way?”

Gabe doubts that it’ll work, but he flips the card and swipes. Then swipes the other way. Then flips the card back and swipes both ways. Nothing “Pobrecitos…” Gabriel drops the card as the light turns purple, and that same woman’s face from before echoes around the hall from a speaker in the card swiper. Jesse whispers, “The hell..?”

“Oh, I haven’t introduced myself, have I? You two can call me Sombra.” Her voice sounds amused. Gabriel tightens his hold on his shotguns. “What do you want?”

“Money, usually, but right now I’m bored.” Gabriel raises an eyebrow. “Ok. Open this door.”

“I don’t think so. You see, I was paid to help capture you.”

“Great.”

“But I wasn’t paid to kill you, or even help them find you. I think trapping you and your little team here until Akande gets back sounds much more fun. Speaking of your team, you might want to focus on them now. I believe your cyborg friend is in a bit of trou--” Gabriel destroys the speaker with a blast from his shotgun. Jesse grins. “Was wondering when you’d lose it with her.”

“Didn’t you ever learn that it’s rude to interrupt someone?” Her voice is in his ear now. She hacked their comms. “Like I was saying, I think your friend Genji needs some backup. Why don’t you go help him?” Gabriel doesn’t want to listen to her, but he knows that it will worry him until he does. “Shimada? Status update?”

When Genji finally responds, his voice is worryingly weak. “Here, commander. I apologize, it might take me some time to reach you and McCree. I sustained a few injuries in that last fight.” To Gabriel’s surprise, Moira responds to Genji before he can even open his mouth. “What are we looking at, exactly?”

“Mostly my mechanical parts. The lower part of my right arm was destroyed. I believe there is also some damage to my life support systems.” 

“Commander Reyes, permission to abandon my position.” Gabriel opens his mouth to respond, but she cuts him off, her voice angry. “I helped Dr. Ziegler design his body. If he doesn’t get medical aid soon--”

“O’Deorain, you didn’t even have to ask. Get to Agent Shimada and stabilize him, then find somewhere for you two to lay low. McCree and I will look for another way out, or at least some way to get word to HQ that we need backup. When we find a way out, we’ll make our way to wherever you are. As of this moment, we’re abandoning the mission. I’m not getting my people killed for this.” There’s no response for a few seconds, then Jesse quietly says, “You heard the man. Let’s get moving.”


	4. Day 2: Noon, 1200 Hours

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Also known as the chapter where I put too much thought into opening a locker.

“Status report, team. How’s everyone doing.” Moira is the first to respond to Gabriel. “I’ve reached Agent Shimada’s position. We’re on the move, but they’re on our tails, and he’s losing consciousness. I’ve managed to deal with some of his injuries, but I’m running low on biotic energy.” 

“Just do your best, Doc. McCree and I will keep looking for a Comms station. Call us if you need back up, or if there are any new developments with Agent Shimada’s condition.”

“Understood, Commander.” With that, Gabriel gesture for Jesse to follow him down the hall as they work their way towards the center of the base. “Hey, boss, you have any idea where we’re going?”

“What do you think, Jesse?” The younger man inclines his head thoughtfully. “Wandering blind then.”

“Exactly.” As they turn the next corner, the two of them run head first into a Talon patrol, but a few well-placed shots from Gabriel’s shotguns solve that problem. But, as he goes to reload, he runs into a problem. “McCree, how much ammo do you have?” The young man goes through the pouches on his belts. “Not much. You?”

The commander holsters his shotguns, shaking his head. “All out, so make those bullets count.”

“Understood, boss.” The unease is clear in his voice as he holsters the Peacekeeper. “Let’s try to keep a low profile then.” Gabriel nods, kneeling down to grab a pulse rifle from one of the fallen Talon agents. It feels too light in his hands, and he can see that it’s already low on energy, but it’ll do. As he and Jesse continue through the maze of halls, it’s clear that there’s been a definite change in moral. Suddenly, a familiar, weak voice echoes through their comms. “Commander Reyes, this is Agent Shimada. I am doing much better, thanks to Doctor O’Deorain.”

“Agent Shimada is being complimentary. I have successfully stabilized him, but we are by no means out of the woods yet. Permission to change locations?”

“Permission granted, Doctor. Get to somewhere out of sight.” Suddenly, Gabriel hears unfamiliar voices drifting from a door in the hall ahead of them. He turns to McCree, holding a finger to his lips in a gesture for silence. The two of them approach the doorway, crouching on either side as Gabe risks a look around the corner. The room itself, a massive space, seems to be an aircraft hangar. A transport has just arrived, and a group of Talon soldiers and officials are standing in formation, waiting for whoever is inside to disembark. The doors in the side open to reveal a massive, well-dressed man with dark skin and a shaved head. Upon closer inspection, the fingers of his left arm seem to be made out of metal. All of the agents present immediately stand at attention, and one of the officials steps forward. “Welcome, Mr. Ogundimu. I hope that your flight was pleasant.”

The man, Mr. Ogundimu, steps down from the transport. “It was, thank you.”

“What brings you to our base? We weren’t informed of any reason for your visit.”

“Oh, Akinjide heard about the possible breach that our hacker reported. He thought it would be wise for me to make a little stop on my way to Paris. I believe that Maximilien and Mr. Bartalotti will not mind the delay.” Gabriel raises an eyebrow. Akinjide Adayemi, the newest Doomfist, hadn’t yet been connected with Talon. This is news to him. When the official next speaks, his voice is full of annoyance. “With all due respect, sir, we are handling the breach just fine on our own.”

“And I suppose that why you still haven’t caught the intruders.” There’s some indignant spluttering from the officer, but no clear response. Ogundimu nods and starts towards the door where Jesse and Gabe are hiding. Gabriel hisses, “Move! Move!”

The two of them take off down the hall, Jesse’s spurs clanking loudly with every step. “What’s that noise?” Gabriel curses as the sound of footsteps following them echoes in the hall far behind them. “Jesse, those damn spurs have got to go!”

“Let’s talk about that later, boss! Look, open door on your right!” Both of them duck inside the room that Jesse indicated, Gabe hurriedly closing it behind them. They sit there for a few moments until the sounds of heavy footsteps and loud voices pass by. Then Gabe takes a look at the room they’re in. It seems to be some sort of living quarters, with two sets of neatly made bunks and pairs of lockers on either side of the room. “Jesse, watch the door. I’ve got an idea.”

“Got it, boss.” Gabriel turns his attention to the lockers, which are locked with an old-fashioned combination lock. He snorts in amusement. “What year is this? 2018?” 

He checks the hinges, then takes two steps back. Suddenly, the door opens, and a pair of Talon agents walk through. “Hey—!” Before they have a chance to finish that thought, Jesse puts a bullet through each of their helmets, and they slump to the ground. “Boss, if you’re going to do something, do it quick before their roommates come here too.”

“Just drag them inside.” Gabriel lifts the pulse rifle he took from one of the fallen Talon agents, aiming for the hinges on one of the lockers. A few quick shots are all it takes to separate them. “Boss, why don’t you just shoot the lockers?”

“I don’t want to risk hitting whatever’s inside.” After flipping the safety on, Gabe turns the rifle around and slams the butt of it into the center of the locker door, causing it to cave slightly. He repeats the motion until the door has warped enough for the top and bottom edges to separate from the wall. “Still not far enough…” He puts the rifle down, and walks over to one of the bunks, tugging the thin blanket off the top as he pulls a knife out of his belt. He sits down on the mattress and begins to cut some strips off of it. Once Gabe is satisfied, he wraps the strips carefully around his palms and fingers until both are covered. He stands up again and grabs the top edge of the locker, pushing hard. With a horrible screech, the metal bends slowly, almost cutting through the wrapped cloth as he leans his full weight onto it. Once the opening has sufficiently widened, Gabriel reaches in and pulls out the spare uniform. “Jackpot.” He throws it to Jesse. “Put this on, and grab the boots and helmet off of one of these guys.” He repeats the process with the next locker. Jesse looks at the clothing Gabe gave him dubiously. “Sure these’ll fit, boss? These guys seem a little on the small side.”

“Just do it, Jesse.” As Gabe changes into the uniform, he discovers there was some truth to Jesse’s skepticism; it’s a pretty snug fit. The boots pinch a bit too. “Hey, Gabe?”

Gabriel looks over at Jesse, surprised by the use of his name. “Yeah, Jesse?”

“Think we have time to get a little sleep? I mean, it’d be a crime to waste these beds…” Gabe laughs, shaking his head. “Sure, Jesse, we can spare a few hours. Get some rest. I’ll watch the door.”

The younger man settles down onto one of the bunks, closing his eyes. “Wake me up when the time’s halfway through. You need rest too, Boss.”

“Just go to sleep.” Gabe’ll wake him up at some point, but he doesn’t need as much sleep as Jesse. SEP bonus. He sits on the mattress across from the young man, eyes on the door, waiting for the fallen agents’ roommates to make an appearance.


	5. Day 2: Noon, 1200 Hours

“Status report, team. How’s everyone doing?” Much to Gabriel’s surprise, Moira is the first to respond “I’ve reached Agent Shimada’s position. I’ve managed to deal with some of his injuries and we’re on the move, but Talon is on our tails, and he’s losing consciousness. I’m running low on biotic energy.” 

“Just do your best, Doc. McCree and I will keep looking for a Comms station. Call us if you need back up, or if there are any new developments with Agent Shimada’s condition.”

“Understood, Commander.” With that, Gabriel gesture for Jesse to follow him down the hall as they work their way towards the center of the base. “Hey, boss, you have any idea where we’re going?”

“What do you think, Jesse?” The younger man inclines his head thoughtfully. “Wandering blind then.”

“Exactly.” As they turn the next corner, the two of them run head first into a Talon patrol, but a few well-placed shots from Gabriel’s shotguns solve that problem. But, as he goes to reload, he runs into a problem. “McCree, how much ammo do you have?” The young man goes through the pouches on his belts. “Not much. You?”

The commander holsters his shotguns, shaking his head. “All out, so make those bullets count.”

“Understood, boss.” The unease is clear in his voice as he holsters the Peacekeeper. “Let’s try to keep a low profile then.” Gabriel nods, kneeling down to grab a pulse rifle from one of the fallen Talon agents. It feels too light in his hands, and he can see that it’s already low on energy, but it’ll do. As he and Jesse continue through the maze of halls, it’s clear that there’s been a definite change in moral. Suddenly, a familiar, weak voice echoes through their comms. “Commander Reyes, this is Agent Shimada. I am doing much better, thanks to Doctor O’Deorain.”

“Agent Shimada is being complimentary. I have successfully stabilized him, but we are by no means out of the woods yet. Permission to change locations?”

“Permission granted, Doctor. Get to somewhere out of sight.” Suddenly, Gabriel hears unfamiliar voices drifting from a door in the hall ahead of them. He turns to McCree, holding a finger to his lips in a gesture for silence. The two of them approach the doorway, crouching on either side as Gabe risks a look around the corner. The room itself, a massive space, seems to be an aircraft hangar. A transport has just arrived, and a group of Talon soldiers and officials are standing in formation, waiting for whoever is inside to disembark. The doors in the side open to reveal a massive, well-dressed man with dark skin and a shaved head. Upon closer inspection, the fingers of his left arm seem to be made out of metal. All of the agents present immediately stand at attention, and one of the officials steps forward. “Welcome, Mr. Ogundimu. I hope that your flight was pleasant.”

The man, Mr. Ogundimu, steps down from the transport. “It was, thank you.”

“What brings you to our base? We weren’t informed of any reason for your visit.”

“Oh, Akinjide heard about the possible breach that our hacker reported. He thought it would be wise for me to make a little stop on my way to Paris. I believe that Maximilien and Mr. Bartalotti will not mind the delay.” Gabriel raises an eyebrow. Akinjide Adayemi, the newest Doomfist, hadn’t yet been connected with Talon. This is news to him. When the official next speaks, his voice is full of annoyance. “With all due respect, sir, we are handling the breach just fine on our own.”

“And I suppose that why you still haven’t caught the intruders.” There’s some indignant spluttering from the officer, but no clear response. Ogundimu nods and starts towards the door where Jesse and Gabe are hiding. Gabriel hisses, “Move! Move!”

The two of them take off down the hall, Jesse’s spurs clanking loudly with every step. “What’s that noise?” Gabriel curses as the sound of footsteps following them echoes in the hall far behind them. “Jesse, those damn spurs have got to go!”

“Let’s talk about that later, boss! Look, open door on your right!” Both of them duck inside the room that Jesse indicated, Gabe hurriedly closing it behind them. They sit there for a few moments until the sounds of heavy footsteps and loud voices pass by. Then Gabe takes a look at the room they’re in. It seems to be some sort of living quarters, with two sets of neatly made bunks and pairs of lockers on either side of the room. “Jesse, watch the door. I’ve got an idea.”

“Got it, boss.” Gabriel turns his attention to the lockers, which are locked with an old-fashioned combination lock. He snorts in amusement. “What year is this? 2018?” 

He checks the hinges, then takes two steps back. Suddenly, the door opens, and a pair of Talon agents walk through. “Hey—!” Before they have a chance to finish that thought, Jesse puts a bullet through each of their helmets, and they slump to the ground. “Boss, if you’re going to do something, do it quick before their roommates come here too.”

“Just drag them inside.” Gabriel lifts the pulse rifle he took from one of the fallen Talon agents, aiming for the hinges on one of the lockers. A few quick shots are all it takes to separate them. “Boss, why don’t you just shoot the lockers?”

“I don’t want to risk hitting whatever’s inside.” After flipping the safety on, Gabe turns the rifle around and slams the butt of it into the center of the locker door, causing it to cave slightly. He repeats the motion until the door has warped enough for the top and bottom edges to separate from the wall. “Still not far enough…” He puts the rifle down, and walks over to one of the bunks, tugging the thin blanket off the top as he pulls a knife out of his belt. He sits down on the mattress and begins to cut some strips off of it. Once Gabe is satisfied, he wraps the strips carefully around his palms and fingers until both are covered. He stands up again and grabs the top edge of the locker, pushing hard. With a horrible screech, the metal bends slowly, almost cutting through the wrapped cloth as he leans his full weight onto it. Once the opening has sufficiently widened, Gabriel reaches in and pulls out the spare uniform. “Jackpot.” He throws it to Jesse. “Put this on, and grab the boots and helmet off of one of these guys.” He repeats the process with the next locker. Jesse looks at the clothing Gabe gave him dubiously. “Sure these’ll fit, boss? These guys seem a little on the small side.”

“Just do it, Jesse.” As Gabe changes into the uniform, he discovers there was some truth to Jesse’s skepticism; it’s a pretty snug fit. The boots pinch a bit too. “Hey, Gabe?”

Gabriel looks over at Jesse, surprised by the use of his name. “Yeah, Jesse?”

“Think we have time to get a little sleep? I mean, it’d be a crime to waste these beds…” Gabe laughs, shaking his head. “Sure, Jesse, we can spare a few hours. Get some rest. I’ll watch the door.”

The younger man settles down onto one of the bunks, closing his eyes. “Wake me up when the time’s halfway through. You need rest too, Boss.”

“Just go to sleep.” Gabe’ll wake him up at some point, but he doesn’t need as much sleep as Jesse. SEP bonus. He sits on the mattress across from the young man, eyes on the door, waiting for the fallen agents’ roommates to make an appearance.

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! Thank you for reading my story! I sincerely hope you enjoyed it! If you have any critiques, or you just want to give me encouragement, please feel free to shoot me a comment.


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